Maple Leafs post baby photo of 1st-round draft pick Danford with team pacifier

Team digs through old photo albums to find adorable picture of new prospect

Danford Maple Leafs split

© Toronto Maple Leafs / Getty Images

By Christopher Detwiler
@Chris_Detwiler NHL.com Staff Writer

It looks like the Toronto Maple Leafs were always in the cards for first-round draft pick Ben Danford.

On Friday, the 18-year-old defenseman was selected 31st overall in the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft in Las Vegas by the Maple Leafs, which happens to be the team he’s been rooting for since birth.

The team posted a photo on social media of a young Danford (very young) with a Maple Leafs pacifier.

“It feels great,” Danford said to the Maple Leafs. “I’ve been a lifelong Maple Leafs fan so it makes it that much more special to get drafted by them.”

The Maple Leafs originally had the 23rd pick of the Draft but traded it to the Anaheim Ducks for the 31st and 58th picks.

Danford spent the last two seasons playing for the Ottawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League and will now shift his focus to his favorite NHL team since day one.

One might say this is a childhood dream for Danford.

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